The Hawks have proposed R100,000 bail for each of two new accused in the sprawling deceased-estates fraud and money-laundering case, as the State continues to unravel an alleged trail of millions of rand moved through bank accounts, businesses and transactions linked to suspended Polokwane attorney Charlotte Tibana.

Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise director Jabulani Maluleke, 43, and LLB student Rirhandzu Tibana, the younger sister of Charlotte Tibana, appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday for their formal bail applications.

While the State is not opposing their release on bail, Hawks forensic investigator Constable Khutšišo Thobejane proposed stringent conditions, including a R100,000 payment by each accused, weekly reporting to the police and restrictions on travel outside Limpopo.

Thobejane’s proposal has, however, been challenged by the defence, which argued that the amounts were beyond what the two accused could afford.

The court heard that Rirhandzu Tibana is unemployed and proposed bail of R5,000, while Maluleke proposed R2,000.

The developments came as the prosecution presented further allegations linking the accused to transactions involving deceased estates administered by Charlotte Tibana, who is already facing charges alongside her husband, Tshwane Metro Police Department constable Peter “Gagash” Nonyane.

The wider case now involves 123 combined counts of fraud, theft and money laundering against Charlotte Tibana, Nonyane, Rirhandzu Tibana and Maluleke.

R100,000 bail proposal

Thobejane told the court that the State did not oppose bail for Maluleke and Rirhandzu Tibana.

However, he proposed that each accused pay R100,000 and comply with conditions intended to ensure that they remain available for the criminal proceedings.

The proposed conditions include reporting once a week at Polokwane Police Station and informing police whenever they intend travelling outside Limpopo.

The defence objected to the proposed bail amounts.

Rirhandzu Tibana’s lawyer, Hlawu Maluleke, who is also part of the legal team in the notorious Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, argued that R100,000 was excessive considering his client’s financial position.

The court heard that Tibana is unemployed and has a child. She told the court that she could raise R5,000 towards bail.

If released, she said she could stay with her parents at their home in Mariveni Village outside Tzaneen, where she said they had lived for more than four decades.

Maluleke also argued that he could not afford the amount proposed by the Hawks.

The father of three proposed bail of R2,000.

The court heard that he has an outstanding school-fee obligation of approximately R69,000 relating to one of his children in Pretoria, R4000 rent monthly, while he earns about R18000 per month.

Maluleke told the court that he has an unfinished two-room house at Babangu Village outside Giyani, where he could reside if released.

The court was also told that Maluleke was convicted of culpable homicide in 2010 following a fatal motor-vehicle accident. He received a five-year suspended sentence or a R10,000 fine.

R4.3m Mphahlele Estate allegation

The Hawks’ investigation has placed particular focus on the alleged movement of funds from deceased-estate accounts.

Thobejane told the court that Maluleke allegedly received substantial amounts of money before transferring funds to accounts linked to other accused persons.

The State alleges that his company, Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise, was used in the movement of some of the money under investigation.

One of the allegations concerns the Mphahlele Estate, where the State alleges that approximately R4.3 million was depleted, leaving only R791.93 in the estate account.

Maluleke is alleged to have played a secondary role in the transactions involving the estate.

The Hawks are also examining a series of payments involving hundreds of thousands of rand and transactions running into millions.

The State alleges that these transactions formed part of a broader scheme in which money belonging to deceased estates was moved between different accounts.

Sister allegedly linked to luxury vehicles

Rirhandzu Tibana has also been linked by the State to transactions involving two luxury vehicles, a Haval Jolion and a Ford Ranger Raptor, registered under her name while she is unemployed.

The prosecution alleges that she played a significant role in transactions connected to the purchase of the vehicles.

The allegations form part of the State’s broader case that money originating from deceased estates was channelled through various accounts and ultimately used for purposes unrelated to the estates.

R487,000 Mampuru Estate allegation

While the bail proceedings involving Maluleke and Rirhandzu Tibana were unfolding, the court also heard fresh allegations against Nonyane.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor Advocate Martin Molokwane alleged that Nonyane and his wife, Charlotte Tibana, acted together in allegedly diverting approximately R487,000 from the estate of the late Mampuru Thobejane.

According to the State, Charlotte Tibana was the executor of the estate, while Nonyane was not a beneficiary.

Molokwane alleged that the couple nevertheless knew that Nonyane was not entitled to the money when payments were deposited into his Capitec Bank account in September 2024.

The court heard that the alleged payments included:
• R28,000 on 15 September 2024;
• R200,000 with the reference “Tibana Attorneys”;
• R20,000;
• R100,000;
• R16,000; and
• a further R123,000.

The State alleges that the money was intended for the deceased’s widow, Mrs Thobejane, and her children rather than Nonyane.

The prosecution is expected to rely on the banking trail as part of its case concerning the alleged movement and laundering of estate funds.

Alleged R1.75m Mercedes-Benz purchase

Among the most significant allegations presented in the broader case is the alleged purchase of a Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 using money from two deceased estates.

The State previously told the court that Nonyane and Charlotte Tibana allegedly acted with a common purpose on 28 October 2024.

According to the prosecution, approximately R650,000 belonging to the estate of the late Isaiah Masha was combined with about R1.1 million from the estate of the late Jacob Mathabatha.

The State alleges that the combined amount was used to purchase a pre-owned Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 from McCarthy Mercedes-Benz in Wonderboom, Pretoria. The salesman at the dealership, Jacky, allegedly demanded consent documents from the deceased estate heir and the couple. That led to an investigation, until they were arrested in August.

The prosecution alleges that the money was unlawfully withdrawn from the estates before being channelled into the vehicle purchase.

The allegations are part of the State’s case that estate funds were allegedly diverted and subsequently laundered.

Ten estates under investigation

The prosecution has identified a number of deceased estates allegedly affected by the transactions under investigation.

They include:

• Estate Amount cited by State
• Masha Estate R650,000
• Mathabatha Estate R1.1 million
• Maswanganyi Estate R2.75 million
• Moetji Estate R1.38 million
• Kobe Estate R800,250
• Mphahlele Estate R4.3 million
• Tlabile Estate R110,000
• Mashamaite and Shikwambana Estates R870,000
• Moroane Estate R337,000
• Mampuru Estate approximately R400,000

The figures form part of the allegations presented by the prosecution and investigators as they seek to establish how money belonging to deceased estates was allegedly moved through various accounts.

The court is expected to deliver its decision on their bail applications when the matter returns on 8 October 2026. Lamasweet and Charlotte Tibana will be returning to court on November 06.